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The emperor granted him leave to mourn but refused to accept his resignation as general. If war broke out, he would have to return immediately.

If there was no war, Marquis Lu would have to return to the frontier after completing the mourning period. The emperor had no choice - the Lu family had always been loyal and brave, guarding the frontier, which put the emperor at ease.

Originally, Lu XuanNing would have been a good successor, but unfortunately his leg was broken. Other capable commanders were stationed in various regions or defending the capital. Now there were no military leaders both capable and trustworthy to the emperor.

The Lu family could not retire. The emperor issued an edict conferring a title on Old Madam Lu and ordered the crown prince to pay condolences to the Lu family on his behalf.

After Old Madam Lu\'s funeral, Old Marquis Lu fell ill. Fearing that if Old Marquis Lu passed away, Marquis Lu would insist on resigning, the emperor sent the imperial physician to stay at the Beining Marquis Manor.

After discussing with Li Xia, Lu XuanNing moved back to the Beining Marquis Manor to look after Old Marquis Lu. The old marquis was ill for half a month before recovering.

Lu XuanNing and Li Xia then moved back to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South. Lu XuanNing had no choice but to move - without Old Madam Lu\'s restraining influence, Madam Zhou became bolder and wanted to mold Li Xia into a true noble lady.

Li Xia stayed for two days, but Lu XuanNing couldn\'t bear to see her suffer. He spoke to Marquis Lu and brought his wife and son back to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South to mourn Old Madam Lu, not leaving the estate.

During this time, Li Xin gave birth to a son. Li Xia sent gifts but did not leave the mansion herself.

In the second year of the Lu family\'s mourning period, an emergency arose at the border. Marquis Lu received an imperial edict to rush to the battlefield. Two months later, news arrived in the capital that Marquis Lu had been severely wounded. Upon receiving the news, Lu XuanNing sat quietly in his study for a while, then went to the palace to request permission to fight.

Despite his leg injury, Lu XuanNing had never stopped practicing martial arts. He defeated five palace guards with his spear. The emperor agreed to Lu XuanNing\'s request to fight. After receiving the imperial edict, Lu XuanNing left the palace without returning to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South, going directly to muster troops.

Li Xia was not angry when she received news of Lu XuanNing\'s request to fight. She had anticipated this. She took Lu Liucheng to the Beining Marquis Manor.

"You want to follow XuanNing?" Madam Zhou was somewhat surprised by Li Xia\'s actions.

"I know you don\'t like me. To be honest, I don\'t like you either. But Lu XuanNing is my husband and your son," Li Xia\'s blunt words surprised Madam Zhou, yet didn\'t surprise her.

After a while, Madam Zhou\'s expression softened as she took the child. "I will certainly take good care of Cheng Cheng. I entrust XuanNing to you. Take good care of him."

"I promise you, as long as I live, I will not let him walk ahead of me," Li Xia said firmly.

At that moment, Madam Zhou fully accepted Li Xia as her daughter-in-law.

Li Xia returned to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South, knowing that Lu XuanNing had gone to muster troops and prepare to set out in two days. Li Xia packed her belongings and instructed Qiu Shui and Qiu Kui to stay behind.

"Miss, wherever you go, I go," Qiu Shui was unwilling to leave. Her life belonged to Li Xia, and from the first day she cared for Li Xia, Qiu Shui had vowed to stay by her side for life.

"Miss, I want to go too," Qiu Kui also didn\'t want to stay behind.

"Qiu Shui, Qiu Kui, I\'m leaving Cheng Cheng in the capital. I need you two to help me look after him. Only then can I be at ease," Li Xia\'s words left Qiu Shui and Qiu Kui unable to argue.

"Miss, don\'t worry. We will certainly take good care of the young master," Qiu Shui and Qiu Kui said, as if making a vow.

"Mm, I\'m entrusting Cheng Cheng to you two."

As Qiu Shui and Qiu Kui packed, they hurriedly told Qiu Chan and Qiu Ling what to be mindful of. Qiu Chan and Qiu Ling listened attentively, repeatedly assuring them that they would take good care of Li Xia.

"Madam, someone outside says Old Madam Xu from Duke Xu\'s Mansion requests your presence," a servant said at the door.

Qiu Chan and Qiu Ling rose to follow Li Xia, but she stopped them. "You stay home and pack. Especially you, Qiu Ling, maybe you shouldn\'t go."

"Qiu Ling vows to follow Madam to the death," Qiu Ling and Xiao Changyou\'s relationship had also been full of twists and turns. The Xiao family consistently refused to give their consent, even saying that unless all the Xiao family members were dead, they would never allow Xiao Changyou to marry Qiu Ling.

Xiao Changyou continued to persuade his family, hoping they would agree.

Xiao Changyou\'s persistence touched Qiu Ling and made her happy. But as time went on, Qiu Ling\'s feelings of being moved were nearly exhausted, and what remained was more resignation and weariness. Being able to leave the capital and leave Xiao Changyou was actually a kind of relief for Qiu Ling.

Li Xia rode in Duke Xu\'s Mansion\'s carriage and arrived at the mansion, where she saw Zhou Mier alighting from another carriage. Although Zhou Mier\'s behavior during the second prince\'s palace coup had displeased Old Madam Xu, she was still a daughter-in-law of the Xu family, so they had intervened to protect her.

Zhou Mier no longer had her former arrogance. Upon seeing Li Xia, Zhou Mier gave her a complex look before averting her gaze and returning to her own courtyard.

Li Xia followed a servant to Old Madam Xu\'s courtyard. The old madam was practicing martial arts in the yard. After finishing a set of moves, she sighed to Li Xia, "I\'m old now, can\'t move like I used to."

"Your punches are still powerful. You\'re aging gracefully," Li Xia applauded from the side.

"Let\'s not exchange such polite words between us," Old Madam Xu smiled, taking a box from a maid beside her and opening it. Looking at the items inside, she revealed a nostalgic expression.

"This is the Token of Women Warriors used by the founding empress when she accompanied her husband in conquering the realm and establishing the Women\'s Army," Old Madam Xu said as she handed the token to Li Xia.

"Old Madam, what do you mean by this?" Li Xia didn\'t quite understand.

"The founding empress passed away first, and the founding emperor bestowed the Token of Women Warriors to the Yu Family, along with an imperial edict. On the battlefield, the token can be used to establish a women\'s army."

Li Xia looked at Old Madam Xu. "You have such high expectations for me." Although Li Xia knew from Li Yao that in his previous life, she had established a Women\'s Army, she didn\'t know Old Madam Xu was involved.

"This token became a symbol passed down through generations in the Yu Family. Now I\'m giving it to you. Let it fulfill its true value."

Looking at the token in the box, Li Xia turned to Old Madam Xu. "Old Madam, you will be proud of your decision today."

"I look forward to it," Old Madam Xu smiled as well.

Returning to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South with the token, Li Xia found that Qiu Ling had also returned from outside.

"Did you finish talking with Xiao Changyou?"

"We\'re done talking. He\'s going back to the Xiao family to be their young master, and I\'m following you to the frontier," Qiu Ling\'s tone carried both disappointment and a hint of relief. The couple had argued constantly over the past two years. It was good to have clarity now.

"Then you\'ll have plenty to keep you busy," Li Xia said with a smile.

"Please give me more tasks to do, Madam." Qiu Ling didn\'t fear having too little to do, only having too little to occupy her. She needed more work to help her let go of everything.

Li Xia also went to the Li family home to see her family members.

"Mother, I don\'t know how many years it will be before I return. I entrust Cheng Cheng and my mother to your care," Li Xia believed that Madam Zhou would take care of Lu Liucheng, but she still had some worries.

"Cheng Cheng is my grandson too. It\'s only right that I look after him." Mrs. Lu was somewhat surprised by Li Xia\'s decision to follow Lu XuanNing to the frontier, but considering Li Xia\'s personality, she found it normal.